DBPower EX5000- A Great GoPro Knockoff

Update - 2016.12.16Apparently the DBPower EX5000 is not currently available on Amazon. I would recommend checking out the Lightdow LD6000, it is very similar to the DBPower and gives about the same performance.

There’s no argument that GoPro makes some of the best action cameras available. But let’s face it we can’t all afford to spend $500 on an action camera. Or maybe an action camera is something you would only use a few times a year. I’d like to get a GoPro, but I really can’t recall the last time I was base jumping off the side of an erupting volcano. However, I do need a good action camera that I can take on family vacations, let my son use on a diving board, or just take pictures while snorkeling. Luckily there are a number of very good GoPro knockoffs available at great prices. We’ll review one of best action cameras currently available, the DBPower EX5000. Additionally, we’ll look at several other good GoPro Knockoffs available today.

Best GoPro Knockoffs for 2016

DBPower EX5000

The DBPOWER EX5000 is a great all around action camera. With a price tag of about $60, its hard to find a better value proposition. The DBPower EX5000 has a 2.0 inch LCD display screen which allows you to view real time pictures and video as you capture them. Most GoPro knockoffs in this price range has a 12MP camera, the DBPower EX5000 has a 14MP Panasonic CMOS Sensor. Like most action cameras it has an ultra wide-angle lens, this model having a 170° fish eye lens. This isn’t great for family portraits, but it’s what you want for outdoor action pictures..

Included are two rechargeable batteries. It also has built-in wifi, which allow your to control and view photos and videos from an Android or iPhone. The EX5000 comes with waterproof camera that allows you to go 30 meters underwater. A variety of clips and mounts are included.

Here’s what’s in the box:

1x – DBPOWER EX5000 Action Camera

1x – Waterproof Case and Case Clip

1x – Multi-Function Clip

1x – Bicycle Mount

1x – Camera Clip

1x – Helmet Mount

3x – Belts

1x – Micro fiber wipe

2x – 3M Stickers

1x – USB Cable

1x – User Manual

2x – Lithium Ion Batteries

Review

I ordered the DBPower EX5000 from Amazon and got it next day. Out of the box it wasn’t quite ready for action, both batteries were close to dead. I put it on the charger, while I looked for a microSD card. Remember the DBPower does not comes with a microSD card. I ended up borrowing a microSD card from my drone, but I think that caused my more problems. I would suggest formatting and card before using.

The camera itself and the accessories all seem to be a good quality. Everything snaps together fairly well. The battery compartment is not the easiest to operate, I needed a small screwdriver to help pry it open. Also the instructions are not the best, but it’s mostly self explanatory. It took me awhile to get the WiFi control working, and here’s where the instructions could be better. If you’re at home for example and your phone is connecting to your home WiFi it won’t connect to the camera. I had to forget my home WiFi to force it to connect to the camera. If your outdoors this isn’t really an issue. The free FinalCam app is not that great, but it gets the job done. Like I mentioned above I had issues reusing a microSD card. A number of videos did not actually record even though they showed as recording. I took the card out and formatted it and that seemed to clear up that issue. It’s probably important to mention that the sound quality is not that great due to the protective case. As you can hear in the videos below it’s somewhat muffled, but I think this is expected in most action cameras.

Once you get the hang of the camera and its interface the picture quality is really good. The fish eye lens makes shooting outdoor action video easier. The picture looks great in full sun or shade, but not that great indoors. The protective case works as designed, waterproof and very solid. I dove off a diving board with the camera and recorded it. The promised 1080p delivers, I plugged the microSD card into a 65″ HD TV and the playback looked excellent. Pool videos look great, the color is good and very clear.

Test Videos

I took the DBPower to the pool with my son. I’ll have to say I was a little nervous about how this would hold up. But it worked great, waterproof as promised.

Using the included bicycle mount I attached the DBPower to my son’s bike and let him take it for a spin. Again everything worked really well.

We took the camera out on a jetski, other than the water spray on the case, the video quality is pretty good.

Overall

The DBPower EX5000 Action Camera gives you a high quality HD video camera without the GoPro price tag. It comes plenty of attachments, WiFi capability, and a spare battery. Perfect for any activity that you want to capture. While the interface may not be the easiest and you may have issues setting it up, it still shoots good quality video and at a great price.

Update 7/7/2016

My original reason for getting this camera was to have something I could use on my summer vacation to Costa Rica. After returning from that trip, I’d have to say this camera worked really well. The pictures and video turned out well. I brought a compact 16MP regular digital camera as well, but I actually ended up using the DBPower EX5000 more often for taking pictures, just because it was easier to carry around and snap pictures at the beach and pool. It was very easy to charge while there. I was also able to transfer videos to my phone and post to Facebook while I was there.

Lightdow LD6000 Sports Camera

The Lightdow LD6000 is basically the same camera as the DBPOWER EX5000 just with a different white label. Price tag is about the same and includes the same accessories. If you’re able to find the Lightdow LD6000 for a better price it would be a good choice.

ASX ActionPro Sports Camera

The ASX ActionPro is a nice option because it includes so many accessories with it. Including a handle bar, pole, helmet and more. The ASX has one of the lowest price points, at under $40. But just be aware that it only shoots in 720p.

Ion 1011L Air Pro

The Ion 1011L Air Pro is an action camera in a different form factor. It’s more of a cylinder shape, but it doesn’t require an skeleton housing to protect it. So if you’re concerned about some of the others being to bulky this is a good option.

I’m an avid Technologist, while I do work on architecting solutions that span from the desktop to the data center, my passion is Web Infrastructure.

8Total Score

Great Value

The DBPower EX5000 Action Camera gives you a high quality HD video camera without the GoPro price tag. It comes plenty of attachments, WiFi capability, and a spare battery. Perfect for any activity that you want to capture. While the interface may not be the easiest and you may have issues setting it up, it still shoots good quality video and at a great price.

I have tried to import video taken on my DBPower EX5000 but without success. I can also not connect it with my IPhone. I keep getting messages “Connection Error. Wi-Fi connection with device not found.” Since you succeed and you could understand the meager instructions (for a dummy like me), could you please give ME some step-by-step instructions how to do both. Thank you very much.

Another (easier?) way to import pictures/videos is (like for most cameras/phones) connect the camera to your computer with a USB cable, select the data disk option that appears on the screen (not “PC Cam”), and the SD card will show up as a removable drive. Pictures and videos are in subfolders in the DCIM folder.

Hi Francis, sounds like you’re having 2 different issues, and the instructions are a little on the small side.

To import videos to a computer the easiest way is to take the camera out of the case, remove the microSD card, put the microSD card into an SD card adapter, and put it into your computer. You can then copy the movies and photos off by dragging and dropping the files to your computer.

Using the wifi connection can be a little harder. Here’s what I noticed, because the camera works by creating its own wifi signal, if you are at home your phone will want to join your home wifi first and not connect to the camera wifi. Try disabling the “Ask to Join Networks” feature, and then manually connect to the camera wifi. Here’s a step by step guide, https://snapguide.com/guides/disable-wifi-auto-connect-on-iphone/.

They’re not chest straps, there 2 narrow ones, and 2 larger ones. But they’re not long enough to go around your chest. They could be the right size to use as an arm strap, but I’ve never tried it. I know you can pick up a head and chest strap kit for $13, http://wireandfrost.com/best-action-camera-accessories/

steven, i got one today in the mail! my issue is, which i cannot find else where, is the white balance. its very red and orange color…i changed every mode and tungsten and fluorescent are the only “decent/tolerable” ones but i cant live with this…is it defective? (is there a mode i’m missing?) im shooting indoor as test, the screen is very inaccurate and barely changes colors. please let me know as soon as u can, thanks !!

Having a lot of red and orange color does not sound normal, yours may be defective. You shouldn’t need to adjust anything. But I would suggest testing outside. This camera is really designed for outdoor lighting. I’ve done some video indoors and its kind of dark and can also look a bit grainy. So test outside next.

My OK button only works sometimes. I use the camera a lot underwater. Does a great job, especially since i have added some external lights, however, I can only use the camera sporadically due to the non-responsive OK button. Anyone have any suggestions?

Steve, you may want to check how you have the camera positioned in the case. When its in the case, you have to press a button that presses the button on the camera. You also have to very firmly press the button to ensure the camera OK button gets depressed.

Love this little Camera, but hate the Final cam app. Found on a forum that some dude found an alternative app. so Im sharing it too. I tested recording in different settings using IOS 10. most resent update. The app alternative is Novacam. and its the only other app that has worked for me on the DBPower EX5000 wifi.